Rigid boom containment system

ABSTRACT

A rigid boom containment system utilizes vertical piles erected in coastal waters and extending above a waterline. A host boom having at least one ballast valve is connected to one or more of the vertical piles by a connector. The connector provides a vertically movable connection of the host boom.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(e), this application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/356,362, entitled Rigid Boom Containment System, filed Jun. 18, 2010. The disclosure of the aforementioned provisional patent application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for any and all purposes.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to biohazard containment and recovery systems and methods, and relates in particular to a boom containment system for protecting coastal areas and accomplishing oil spill recovery.

BACKGROUND

An oil spill can be a major biological disaster that is difficult to contain and clean. Recovery efforts often entail the use of absorbent booms and flexible booms that float atop the water and are towed by barges and other vessels to contain spills and aid in recovery efforts. However, conventional oil boom barriers can be fragile and difficult to control, thus requiring a great deal of maintenance and frequent attention. Coastal protection has become increasingly challenging due to problems associated with the reliability of these conventional oil boom barriers. The present invention is directed to providing improved options, alternatives, and/or supplements to use of flexible oil containment boom.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, the present invention is a rigid boom containment system in which vertical piles are erected in coastal waters and extend above a waterline. A host boom having at least one ballast valve is connected to one or more of the vertical piles by a connector. The connector provides a vertically movable connection of the host boom.

Various modifications to these embodiments, as well as additional embodiments, will become readily understood by reference to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a rigid boom containment system in accordance with one form of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevated view of the rigid boom containment system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged portion of the plan view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged portion of the elevated view of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an elevated view of a cross section of the rigid boom containment system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a detailed elevated view of the rigid boom containment system.

FIG. 7, including FIGS. 7( a)-7(c), is a set of detailed cross-sectional views illustration floatation of rigid booms of varying diameters.

FIG. 8, including FIGS. 8( a) and 8(b), is set of views illustrating options for connecting sections of host boom.

FIG. 9, including FIGS. 9( a) and 9(b), is a set views illustrating a host boom connection plan.

FIG. 10, including FIGS. 10( a), 10(b), and 10(c) is a set of plan views of rigid boom containment systems in accordance with other forms of the invention.

FIG. 11, including FIGS. 11( a), 11(b), and 11(c) is a set of views illustrating a host boom connection plan for the systems of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12, including FIGS. 12( a) and 12(b), is a set of detailed views illustrating the systems of FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, like elements are marked throughout the specification and drawings with the same reference numerals, respectively. The drawing figures are not to scale and certain elements are shown in generalized or schematic form in the interest of clarity and conciseness. It should be understood that the embodiments of the disclosure herein described are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention.

The following description contemplates a new type of boom containment system utilizing rigid materials, such as steel pipe, plastic pipe, or polypropylene pipe, to provide a reliable hydrocarbon barrier for coastal shoreline protection. Using a rigid steel pipe with either sleeve connections or a conventional bevel weld connection, large diameter floating pipelines can be positioned in place and secured along a preplanned and surveyed route and held in place with vertical piles (e.g., vertical steel pipe or wooden piles) at preset centers. It is envisioned that, at one or more vertical pile locations, a host boom comprised of the rigid pipe can be flexibly secured to the piling. This attachment will allow the host boom to rise and fall with the tide and seas. Navigation can be aided with the installation of various warning lights, reflectors, and signs.

Ballast valves located along the host boom can function to allow the host boom to be prepositioned on the coastal floor prior to the arrival of an oil engagement or unforeseen tropical storm or hurricane event. By simply evacuating the system, the host boom can float to the surface and serve as a barrier to allow vessels and crews to collect and absorb the hydrocarbons. In this way, the host boom can be provided as a primary containment measure that is capable of fulfilling the containment function either alone, or in combination with additional, optional countermeasures (e.g., conventional skirting, non-rigid booms, etc.). Thus, while the host boom is not required to host additional containment measures, it is capable of doing so. It is particularly envisioned that optional hanging skirts can be attached that drop below the host boom to trap oil that is travelling below the surface of the water and the boom.

It is envisioned that various pipe diameters can be utilized depending on the nature of the application. Host boom diameter ranging from twenty inches to forty-eight inches can be deployed and engineered depending on the draft and freeboard conditions desired. It is envisioned that the host boom can be used in conjunction with flexible containment and absorbent boom, thereby decreasing the need for maintenance of runaway boom. It is envisioned that various attachments and attachment mechanisms can be implemented, such as: anchoring and tie up points; towing heads; mounting oil connections; and product handling connections.

Beginning with FIG. 1, it is envisioned that a boom containment system can be implemented utilizing a host boom 100 that can be constructed of any length desired by connecting sections of rigid pipe together utilizing, for example, sleeve connections 102. For example, a boom of length D1 equal to four-hundred feet, three and three-eighths inches can be constructed of ten sections of pipe each having a length D4 equal to forty feet. Use of baffle plates between pipe ends at each sleeve connection 102 results in the overall length D1 of the boom. The ten section pipe may be viewed as having eight sections, taken from the center of each connection point, of length D3 equal to forty and three-eighths inches. The remaining two sections on each end have a length D5 equal to forty and three-sixteenths inches. It is envisioned that this boom can be made of thirty-inch diameter pipe and threaded between piles that are a distance D2 apart of two-hundred feet. Each pipe section can have a THREDOLET® fitting 104 welded to the pipe at the top and bottom that allows a plug to be inserted. Thus, a boom composed of ten pipe sections might have ten THREDOLET® fittings 104. These fittings 104 allow each section of pipe to be evacuated, while the baffle plates preserve the floatation of the host boom 100 even if one of the pipe sections loses structural integrity and is flooded.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the host boom 100 comprised of pipe sections joined by sleeve connections 102 can be held in place by vertical piles 112. Navigational aids can be provided in the form of navigational aid lights 106 at each pile, with reflectors 108 placed along the boom at regularly spaced intervals, such as every fifty feet. Optional attachments 110 for absorbent boom can be provided, as can a containment screen 114. Taking the elevation E1 at the surface of the water to be zero, the elevation E2 at the top of the pile is envisioned normally to be about twenty feet, while the depth E3 of the water at the mudline is envisioned to be about twenty feet. The depth of the coastal sea floor can vary, as can sea levels, so these values are not precise or constant.

Details regarding the piles 112, sleeve connections 102, navigational aid lights 106, reflectors 108, and containment screen 114 can be viewed at FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. It should be appreciated that even steel pipe, though rigid, can be threaded between vertical piles 112 due to ability of the pipes and/or the vertical piles 112 to bend to a small degree over significant lengths. The vertical piles 112 can also be slightly offset in placement to accommodate threading of the boom through the piles 112. However, the boom may alternatively be placed on one side of two adjacent piles 112 as desired.

Turning now to FIG. 5, the host boom 100 can be connected to vertical pile 112 in a way that restricts horizontal movement of the host boom 100, while permitting vertical movement to allow raising and lowering of the host boom 100. As one example, a second, mooring pile can be positioned on an opposite side of the host boom near the pile 112, and options to employ one or more pairs of such individual pin piles and/or or clustered pin piles are explored in detail below with reference to FIGS. 10-12. As another example, a cable tie 116 can be employed that forms a loop about the vertical pile 112 and the host boom 100. The cable tie 116 can pass between the host boom 100 and an optional containment screen 114. Thus, by this attachment, the host boom 100 can float at a water surface level 118, even as the water surface level 118 changes. The boom can also be lowered below the water surface level 100 to the mudline 122 by filling the boom with water, and raised again to the surface level 118 by evacuating the host boom 100 via THREDOLET® fittings provided at each pipe section of the host boom 100.

It is envisioned that the cable connection 116 will permit the host boom 100 to be raised and lowered a distance D6 of approximately twenty feet or more, but that this distance D6 can vary based on water level 118 and changes in the mudline 122. It is similarly envisioned that the visible height 120 of boom 112 above the waterline 118 can extend a distance D5 approximately twenty feet or more, and that this distance D5 can vary based on changes in water level 118. Thus, the navigational aid lights 106 are expected to normally rise the distance D5 above the waterline 118. It is envisioned that the vertical pile 112 can extend a distance D7 below the mudline of approximately fifteen feet or more. Thus, the vertical piles 112 are envisioned to have a length of fifty-five feet or more.

Turning now to FIG. 6, it is envisioned that a vertical containment screen 114 can attach to the host boom 100 by any suitable manner that will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, as such screens (e.g., optional skirting) are already employed with conventional boom. Thus, suitable connection points can be provided to the host boom 100 in some embodiments. Yet, it should be understood that, in other embodiments, the host boom is not prepared with connection points or other features to facilitate hosting of secondary containment measures, as retrofit of such features or measures can be implemented with the host boom. It is envisioned that the vertical containment screen 114, if employed, can extend below the surface of the water to a depth D8 of approximately six feet. Thus, the screen 114 will not normally interfere with wildlife by extending to the mudline, but can aid in preventing buoyant oil or other buoyant contaminants from passing immediately below the host boom 100. It is expected that the need for such containment screens 114 may be decreased in certain applications.

Turning now to FIG. 7, the draft depth of the host boom can be affected by the diameter of the pipe employed to form the boom, the thickness of the pipe, and the density of the materials utilized to form the pipe. For example, for a host boom 100A formed of three-eighths inch thick steel pipe having a diameter greater than thirty inches, it is envisioned that the host boom 100A will draft at a depth D10 approximating less than one-third the diameter of the pipe. Additionally, for a host boom 100B formed of three-eighths inch thick steel pipe having a diameter of thirty inches, it is envisioned that the host boom 100B will draft at a depth D12 approximating eleven and three-eighths inches, while extending a distance D11 above the waterline approximating one-foot, six and five-eighths inches. Also, for a host boom 100C formed of three-eighths inch thick steel pipe having a diameter of twenty-four inches, it is envisioned that the host boom 100C will draft at a depth D14 approximating eleven and three-eighths inches, while extending a distance D13 above the waterline approximating one-foot, five-eighths inches. Accordingly, larger pipe diameters can achieve a greater extension above the waterline and provide a more effective barrier in rough seas than smaller diameter pipe. Thus, larger pipe diameters can be desirable for use in rougher seas, while smaller pipe diameters can be suitable for calmer coastal bays and inlets. As a general rule, it is envisioned that the pipe diameter used will lie in a range of about twenty inches to about forty-eight inches.

Turning now to FIG. 8, the connections between the pipe sections to form the boom can be accomplished by any suitable technique, such as a bevel weld or butt weld pipe connection 124, or a sleeve connection. With the butt weld connection 124, it is envisioned that a baffle plate 126 formed of three-eighths inch thick steel can be mounted in one of the pipes a distance D15 approximately six inches from the weld 124. In the case of the sleeve connection, it is envisioned that a sleeve 128 having a length D16 of about two inches can be employed, and that a baffle plate 130 formed of three-eighths inch thick steel can be positioned at the connection point between the ends of the pipes.

Turning now to FIG. 9, a hinge connection can be formed between booms to permit the host booms to be angled away from one another as desired, for example, to follow a coastline. For example, a movable connection can be formed between one host boom 100C and another host boom 100D by providing a pair of planarly parallel gussets 132A and 132B extending from an end of host boom 100D, and providing another gusset 134 extending from an end of host boom 100C in a plane that extends in a parallel fashion between two parallel planes in which the other two gussets 132A and 132B extend. A linchpin 136 provided through aligned apertures in the gussets 132A, 132B, and 134 functions as a hinge point for the hinge connection. A pair of washers, bearings, or spacers 138A and 138B can be positioned about linchpin 136 between the gussets 132A, 132B, and 134 to aid planar movement of the hinge connection. A row of three sets of four cheek plates 140-146 provide structural support for the gussets 132A, 132B, and 134. An optional swivel connection 148 can be provided to one or both of the booms to enable three-dimensional mobility of the hinge connection. In this manner, booms of any length can be constructed and hinged together to follow a coastline along a preplanned and surveyed route.

Turning now to FIGS. 10-12, one way to accomplish vertically movable connection of the host boom to a vertical pile is to utilize pairs of the vertical piles as “pin piles” that are placed on opposing sides of the host boom to hold the boom in the designed alignment. The horizontal spacing of the pin piles is an engineering calculation relative to location. The pin piles serve as mooring piles to allow the boom to move in a vertical movement with the sea state and/or tidal conditions, additionally permitting the host boom to be lowered to the sea floor and raised to the waterline at need. The vertical piles can be configured in either “single” or “cluster” (e.g., three pile) configuration, permitting configuration of individual pin piles or clustered pin piles, as needed. The determination of single pile or cluster pile is a function of engineering for lateral support for mild or severe sea state conditions.

Referring particularly to FIG. 10, additional or alternative rigid boom containment systems 200A, 200B, and 200C can employ vertical pile clusters 202 at one or more locations along a host boom section 206 (e.g., thirty-six inches in diameter). The vertical pile clusters 202 can be composed of a number (e.g., three) of vertical piles of suitable material (e.g., steel, wood, etc.) clustered together so as to be touching one another and/or be proximate to one another, with their longitudinal axes aligned in parallel. In some embodiments, one or more three pile clusters can be employed in which all of the piles in the cluster are touching one another and have lengths greater than a distance between the sea floor and the waterline, and the piles in a cluster can be of the same or different lengths and/or materials. Individual vertical piles can be, for example, sixty or eighty feet in length, depending on the duty or load level of the boom section. Medium and light duty boom sections can employ the shorter piles, while the longer piles can be used for heavy duty boom sections to allow for deeper waters, larger waves, and/or deeper placement of the piles in the mud floor.

For a host boom section 206, the vertical pile clusters 202 can be used exclusively with one another or in conjunction with single piles 204. For example, the light duty rigid boom containment system 200A has pairs of vertical pile clusters 202 arranged on opposite sides of a host boom section 206 at each end of the host boom section 206, while pairs of single piles 204 are arranged on opposite sides of the host boom section 206 at regular intervals of distance D20 approximately one-hundred six feet in length; ends of the host boom section 206 can extend beyond the vertical pile clusters 202 a distance D22 approximately ten feet in length. Also, the medium duty rigid boom containment system 200B has pairs of vertical pile clusters 202 arranged on opposite sides of a host boom section 206 at each end of the host boom section 206 and in a central region of the host boom section 206, while pairs of single piles 204 are arranged on opposite sides of the host boom section 206 in between the pairs of vertical pile clusters 202; the distances D20 and D22 are again observed in rigid boom containment system 200B. Additionally, the heavy duty rigid boom containment system 200C has pairs of vertical pile clusters 202 arranged on opposite sides of a host boom section 206 at each end of the host boom section 206 and at regular intervals of distance D24 approximately seventy feet in length; ends of the host boom section 206 can extend beyond the vertical pile clusters 202 on one end the distance D22 and a distance D26 approximately fifty feet in length on the other end. It should be understood that a rigid boom containment system can be composed entirely of sections conforming to only one of the above options, or can be composed of combinations of these options; thus, the rigid boom containment systems 200A, 200B, and 200C can be employed as sub-systems combinable with one another within an overall rigid boom containment system.

Turning now to FIG. 11, a host boom connection plan for the rigid boom containment systems and/or sub-systems described above can provide for spacing between host boom sections, as opposed to direct connection of host boom sections to one another. For example, referring particularly to FIG. 11( a), two host boom sections 206A and 206B, each of length D28 (e.g., five-hundred fifty feet), can have an end sleeve connection arrangement in which their longitudinal axes are collinear, and their ends, extending past pairs of vertical pile clusters 202A(i), 202A(ii), 202B(i), and 202B(ii) to the length D22, are separated from one another by a distance D30 of approximately three feet. Additionally, referring particularly to FIG. 11( b), a host boom overlap connection arrangement can configure two host boom sections 206C and 206D with their longitudinal axes angled (e.g., obtuse angle) with respect to one another. In this host boom overlap connection arrangement, of the ends extending past pairs of vertical pile clusters 202A(i), 202A(ii), 202B(i), and 202B(ii) to the length D22, the end of the host boom section 206D has a minimum distance D32 from host boom section 206C of approximately six feet. In other words, of the two ends in the host boom overlap connection arrangement, the end oriented towards the other host boom section has the minimum distance of approximately six feet from the other host boom section.

The connection arrangements detailed above can be realized, in part, by staking out certain ones of the vertical piles ahead of time at a pile staking location. For example, and referring particularly now to FIG. 11(C), the host boom overlap connection arrangement can be implemented, in part, by staking out piles on a gulf side or seaward side (i.e., as opposed to coastal side) of the planned host boom location, and, in the case of vertical pile clusters, staking out those piles in the cluster that are to the center, such as staked out piles P1, P2, PC1, PC2, PC3, PC4, PC5, and PC6. Thus, with these piles staked out ahead of time, the host booms 206C and 206D can be situated against the staked out piles, P1, P2, PC1, PC2, PC3, PC4, PC5, and PC6, and the remaining piles can thereafter be installed in place in order to complete the pairs of vertical pile clusters 202C(i), 202C(ii), 202D(i), and 202D(ii) and, in applicable circumstances, pairs of individual vertical piles.

Turning now to FIG. 12, in some embodiments, the host boom is comprised of a section of rigid pipe of diameter D34 equaling approximately thirty-six inches, and the boom has a draft depth D36 equaling approximately fourteen inches. In some embodiments, connection points for attaching a vertical screen 208 of height D38 equaling approximately four feet can be located in a longitudinal line along a side of the host boom and parallel to a longitudinal axis of the host boom. These connection points can be spaced apart, for example, at intervals of distance D40 equaling approximately one foot.

It is envisioned that a three-eighths inch cable 210 (e.g., galvanized steel) supporting the vertical screen 208 can be threaded, hooked, fastened, welded, or otherwise attached to the pipe at the connection points, thus supporting the vertical screen 208 in a vertical plane tangent to the side of the pipe and parallel to the gravity vector. This arrangement allows for a top of the vertical screen 208 to rise approximately four inches above the waterline. It is envisioned that the cable 210 can be welded directly to the side of the pipe at the connection points, and/or that the connection points can be, for example, metal hooks, metal loops, or other metal fasteners (e.g., galvanized steel) welded or otherwise attached to the side of the pipe in the longitudinal line that lies within the aforementioned vertical plane. Additional or alternative connection mechanisms and arrangements will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

In an exemplary implementation of skirting as a secondary containment measure, one-half inch by two inch galvanized lengths of chain 212 are arranged along a lower edge of the vertical screen. In this example, the vertically hanging lengths of chain 212 are spaced apart at intervals of distance D42 equaling approximately two feet, but it is envisioned that other spacing distances can be employed, and that spacing can be regular or irregular, as desired. Also, the lengths of chain 212 can be of any desired length, such as approximately four feet.

Excepting as detailed above, the additional or alternative forms of the rigid boom containment system of FIGS. 10-12 can be otherwise identical or similar to those described with respect to FIGS. 1-9. For example, THREDOLET® fittings can be provided at each pipe section. Additionally, baffle plates and sleeve connections can be utilized to construct the booms. Also, navigational aid lights and reflectors can be supplied to the piles, pile clusters, and/or boom. Further, it is envisioned that cable ties can be used in conjunction with pin pile pairs to maintain the boom in position while permitting the boom to move vertically. Additional combinations of the features of the disclosed embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

The foregoing description is of exemplary and preferred embodiments of rigid boom containment systems and methods. Additional features can be added, such as an opening for boat traffic and/or a v-shaped boom system configuration to direct oil to skimmers. The invention is not limited to the described examples or embodiments. Alterations and modifications to the disclosed embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 

1. A rigid boom containment system, comprising: a plurality of vertical piles erected in coastal waters and extending above a waterline; a host boom having at least one ballast valve; and a connector providing a vertically movable connection of said host boom to at least one pile of said plurality of vertical piles.
 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising another host boom movably connected to at least one pile of said plurality of vertical piles, wherein said host boom and said other host boom are connected to one another and arranged at an angle with respect to one another.
 3. The system of claim 2, wherein said host boom and said other host boom are movably connected to one another via a hinge connection.
 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the hinge connection incorporates at least one swivel.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein said host boom is formed of connected sections of rigid pipe.
 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the connected sections have baffle plates preventing fluid connection of the connected sections, said host boom having ballast valves positioned at one or more of the connected sections.
 7. The system of claim 5, wherein the connected sections are connected utilizing bevel weld connections.
 8. The system of claim 5, wherein the connected sections are connected utilizing sleeve connections.
 9. The system of claim 1, further comprising navigational aid lights positioned atop the vertical piles.
 10. The system of claim 1, further comprising reflectors positioned at intervals along said boom.
 11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a containment screen attached to said boom.
 12. The system of claim 1, wherein said ballast valve is a THREDOLET® fitting welded to the pipe at the top and bottom that allows a plug to be inserted.
 13. The system of claim 1, wherein said vertical piles are made of wood.
 14. The system of claim 1, wherein said vertical piles are made of rigid pipe.
 15. The system of claim 1, wherein said host boom is threaded between piles of the plurality of vertical piles.
 16. The system of claim 1, wherein said host boom is made predominately of steel.
 17. The system of claim 1, wherein said host boom is made predominately of rigid plastic.
 18. The system of claim 1, wherein said host boom is made primarily of polypropylene.
 19. The system of claim 1, wherein said connector is a cable tie.
 20. The system of claim 1, wherein said connector is at least one other pile located proximate the at least one pile on an opposite side of the host boom, thereby forming a pair of vertical piles with the at least one pile.
 21. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one pile is part of a vertical pile cluster comprising a plurality of piles, and said connector is another vertical pile cluster located proximate the vertical pile cluster on an opposite side of the host boom, thereby forming a pair of vertical pile clusters with the vertical pile cluster.
 22. The system of claim 21, wherein at least one of the vertical pile clusters is comprised of three or more vertical piles clustered together so as to be at least one of touching one another or proximate one another, with their longitudinal axes aligned in parallel.
 23. The system of claim 21, wherein the vertical pile clusters have a length lying in a range of approximately sixty feet to approximately eighty feet.
 24. The system of claim 28, further comprising pairs of individual vertical piles employed in combination with pairs of vertical pile clusters along a length of said host boom.
 25. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of connection points provided to said host boom for connection of secondary containment measures.
 26. The system of claim 1, further comprising a vertical screen connected to said host boom by a cable connected in a longitudinal line to a side of said host boom.
 27. The system of claim 1, further comprising a vertical screen connected to said host boom and having lengths of galvanized chain hanging therefrom.
 28. The system of claim 1, wherein said host boom is comprised of three-eighths inch rigid pipe measuring approximately thirty-six inches in diameter.
 29. The system of claim 1, wherein a section of said host boom measures approximately five-hundred fifty feet in length.
 30. The system of claim 1, wherein sections of said host boom are arranged according to an end sleeve connection arrangement in which their longitudinal axes are collinear, and their ends are separated from one another by a distance of approximately three feet.
 31. The system of claim 1, wherein sections of said host boom are arranged according to a boom overlap connection arrangement in which their longitudinal axes are angled with respect to one another, and an end of one of the sections oriented towards the other of the sections has a minimum distance from the other section of approximately six feet.
 32. The system of claim 1, wherein clustered pin piles are provided at each end of a section of the host boom. 